Am I missing something here?

[Bugman Jeff]

I'm working on getting my '97 back into shape. When I got it, the hood was way out of whack. I got my doors set, then set the door-hood gaps. They're not perfect, but are acceptable for now. Now I'm trying to set the hood-fascia gap, and I'm stuck. While the drivers side lines up well, the passenger front corner of the hood is high, very high. With the latch adjusted as far down as it will go, the hood is still 7/8" higher than the fascia. The hinge isn't hitting anything and doesn't look bent. I can't see a way to get the hood down further so it looks like I need to move the bumper assemble up but the holes are only slotted side to side, and don't look like they'll allow enough adjustment to go as far up as I need it to. The corner of the hood has been repaired, but it is shaped correctly(certainly not 7/8" off), and the inner skin doesn't look tweaked.

I've read just about every hood adjustment thread, and didn't come across any solutions. My service manual isn't much help either. Am I missing something here? Is my only option to slot the bumper mount holes to allow the whole bumper/fascia up on that side? Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks for the help.

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[Matt M PA]

I've had a similar problem with my 2000. On mine, the gap between the very outer edge of the hood and the fascia has grown to a bit more than I'd like. I bought mine new...and it's somehow "shifted" slightly over time. If memory serves, there is a way to adjust the (for want of a better word)bulkhead to shift the fascia up....but despite looking the car over very well...even on the lift...I can't find it.

I can report that the fascia has not shifted/moved when the bolts retains it in the wheelhouses. I'll be watching this thread.

 

[Bugman Jeff]

Found it. Where the bumper assembly bolts onto the frame, under the bumper mount and all the shims, the frame is slotted vertically. You can't see it until everything is apart and all the shims are removed. It looks like the whole assemble on that side got shoved all the way down, like the nose slid under something.

As for the corner gap Matt, if you mean the wheel arch where the hood meets the fascia, there is a strut with slotted ends under the headlight that goes from the frame to the corner of the fascia. Adjusting that strut will change the corner gap. It doesn't look like the sturdiest strut, and it supports the whole corner of the headlight/fascia area, so I can see how it could start to bend and sag over time. It's easily accessible with the headlight out, bit more work with the headlight in. There are two bolts just outboard of the headlight assembly to adjust the outer end, and one bolt into the frame for the inner. If you don't want to remove the headlight and have got skinny arms, you might be able to get to it through the wheel well access hole or fog lamp hole. You can pull the corner of the fascia out too, but you risk cracking the paint if it flexes to much.

 

[Matt M PA]

Thanks...I remember looking at that rod last summer. I didn't remember it being able to make that adjustment....but I will look again. It doesn't have to move far at all...and yes...only in that one corner.

 

[Bugman Jeff]

There is also a wide sheetmetal bracket with slotted holes between the front inner wheel well and fender shield(#11 in the pic HERE). Between that bracket and the strut under the headlight, I was able to get the outside corner gap nearly perfect again.

 

[Matt M PA]

Thanks....I'm going to give that a good look.